Guanxi
Title: Guanxi
Author: Me
Rating: R (NC-17 in later chapters)
Pairing: Eduardo/Mark
Summary: When Eduardo and Mark meet again, they fall in love. But Eduardo hasn't forgotten Mark's betrayal and all he can think of is revenge. Will they have a happy ending or will history repeat itself?
A/N: The first chapter is a lengthy prologue really. The real fun will start soon enough.
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with the makers of 'The Social Network' or the real Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin. I am making no money with this, whatsoever, and even if I could, I wouldn't.
Mark wonders why he's doing this. Holding a small china cup of cold tea, he glares at anyone who comes into the general area of his corner. The business men in their fine suits and shiny shoes avoid him like the plague anyway and he leaves it up to his entourage to handle things.
It's not like he needs China. If they want to go on blocking Facebook, well, it's their loss really. Those who are smart enough to download programs to circumvent the Great Firewall of China and enjoy all the sites Mao's heirs have declared illegal, have access and there wasn't much he could do for the others really.
But he has to be here, in Singapore, and suck up to Chinese programmers and business men who don't know half as much as he does and who basically bore him to tears.
The idea was to invite them to neutral grounds and since most Asians feel out of their waters in the US, Mark came to them.
It bothers him for a number of reasons. The weather in Singapore really isn't agreeing with him, burning his skin outside and forcing him to wear socks inside because the aircon has to be on full blast at all times.
And there's the Eduardo issue, of course. Considering the fact that he hates Mark's guts, it makes him look like a hypocrite to be investing in Facebook games. And he's here, somewhere. Not in the room, but in the city and while it's a very big city, it still doesn't seem big enough to hold both of them.
"Mark. Hey, Mark?" Arielle is standing right next to him, long blonde hair curled over one shoulder. Mark notices the way the Asian men stare at her and he's glad she's here.
"What is it?" he asks, trying to hand her the china cup he no longer wants to hold.
Arielle easily moves out of the way and Mark can't help but wonder if such an elegant creature could really be related to him by blood. "Look," she finally begins, sounding very uncomfortable. "You know how nobody knew you were coming along?"
He nods, shrugging at her. His coming along was a spontaneous decision, more or less. He isn't sure why he wanted to come when Arielle and his PR girls are handling things so gracefully.
"Mark, are you even listening? Eduardo's over there."
He doesn't want it to, but his head moves in the direction Arielle's pointing and he sees Eduardo and he knows Eduardo's seen him. There's no point in looking away and, really, why should he? This is his party and if Eduardo is still here, it must mean he has something to gain from it.
"Mark?"
"I'm fine."
"I doubt that-"
Arielle has her hand on his arm, trying to stop him. She mutters something about how Randi would not allow him to do this, but he ignores her and walks towards Eduardo. His hands, hidden in his hoodie pocket, are cold and dry.
"Hi."
It's not that this encounter couldn't have been avoided, it's more that Mark wants it to happen. He looks up at Eduardo and right now the height difference bothers him a little bit because he has to look up to look Eduardo in the eyes. And he isn't sure what Eduardo's expression means.
"Hello, Mark." Eduardo is dressed like everyone else here (except for Mark); expensive suit, pretty shoes, expertly tied tie. "How are you doing?" It's something that people ask around here all the time and it doesn't mean they actually want a reply, it's something you say to be polite.
"Fine. You?"
"Great."
"I'm bored."
"So you came to me? How... flattering." Mark isn't sure he likes where this is going, but he can't just move away now and end the conversation because people would definitely notice and he doesn't need that sort of crap. Wall Street reporters do not exactly lead a very exciting life (or so he thinks) and this would probably be the sort of thing that would have them drooling.
"You're not boring," Mark offers, feeling incredibly young and -yes, he didn't think he'd ever think it either- stupid as he looks up at Eduardo.
To his surprise, Eduardo smiles at him. It's not the full 10,000 Watt treatment he used to get during their Harvard days, but it isn't so bad. "I know I'm a pretty cool dude."
Eduardo is polite and almost friendly, but Mark has learned about the way people do business over his years as CEO of a big company and Eduardo's behaviour may mean any number of things. Perhaps he wants something from Mark and perhaps he's thinking the same thing Mark is; that Wall Street reporters are poor people who want something fun to write about, too, and that they shouldn't give them that.
"Do you want to get out of here?" Eduardo asks and it is that sentence, an arrangement of eight innocent little words, that makes sirens shriek in Mark's brain and he wants to say no, but he doesn't.
"Sure."
Arielle is watching them leave and she makes a 'what the fuck'-face at him, but he can't explain. He doesn't know. For once in his life, Mark Zuckerberg doesn't have all the answers.
***
"Where are we going?" Mark asks. The weather is killing him in his hoodie and he just wants to go back inside again.
"I know a cafe you might enjoy, Mark. Don't worry, I won't kidnap and kill you if that's what you're scared of."
"I'm not scared of that." He rolls his eyes and Eduardo laughs.
They're standing in front of the hotel where the business meeting took place. It's a posh place and they could've asked the personnel to get them a taxi, but apparently Eduardo wants to show off and use his intercultural skills to hail a cab and tell the driver where to go.
Mark still can't quite believe this is really happening, even as he sits in the back of the cab with Eduardo right beside him. It's quite bizarre, actually.
"You probably should've stayed. The founders of Baidu are fans of yours. They might have the means to help you with China."
"I don't care about their Google clone," Mark replies, avoiding eye contact.
"You don't get Asia, do you, Mark? It's all about connections; being connected to the right people means you can get what you need when the regular channels fail," Eduardo explains. "The Chinese word for this is guanxi."
"I know. I don't care." He glares out of the window at the mass of people loitering in front of eateries and stores, always standing in crowds without anyone going solo. It was weird.
"Just saying."
They're silent for the rest of the ride to the tiny, shabby cafe that's decorated with ancient Commodores and other computer antiquities. Some of them even work still and Mark smiles. He actually smiles because, yes, this is indeed perfect and so much more interesting than shaking hands and listening to the same boring, old tale over and over.
"So, am I going to lose you to Bill Gates' wet dream or are we having bubble tea?"
They're having bubble tea (black with milk for Mark and green for Eduardo) and they... they talk. It's weird to be talking to someone who sued him over something Mark still doesn't quite get or doesn't want to get.
Mark forces the sirens in his brain to shut the fuck up and let him enjoy this because he is enjoying it. Talking to Eduardo has always helped him focus, collect himself and he missed talking to him. The cafe is so tiny that they're the only customers and it's dirty and the bubble tea is a little too cold, but Eduardo's smiling at him and Mark feels something inside of him that hasn't been there since Erica left him. The will to make someone like him.
"And you're helping with Facebook games now?" he asks, once he's told Eduardo everything about his trip so far.
"I invest, yeah. They let me help with the coding sometimes, but I'm not very good at that yet." Eduardo grins at him. "It's more about the investing really."
"And how has that worked out for you?" Mark would rather talk about the coding, maybe even offer his help, but that would be taking things too far.
"We have a pretty cool new game going. It's for girls mostly. You get to, uh, grow your own boyfriend and buy clothes for him. You know, Farmville with guys."
Mark raises and eyebrow, mildly surprised. Why would anyone want a dating game when Facebook could get them a real date? But whatever. If people wanted it, they could have it for all he cared.
"I'm happy for you." He is surprised that he actually means it. Eduardo seems excited about the entire affair and if helping code dating games is what works for Eduardo, then that's good enough for Mark. Mark leans forward to wrap his lips around his drinking straw, but he never gets to drink although his throat goes dry with Eduardo's next words.
"I'm sorry, Mark." Marks stares at his former best friend, wondering if he heard this right. Probably not. "I know I blamed you for a lot of things that weren't technically your fault, like my shitty relationship with my father or the fact that Sean Parker's an asshole, but the truth is, it wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have frozen the account. I'm sorry."
The sirens inside Mark's head keep blaring, but he ignores them. He wants to ignore them because Eduardo is apologising and that means he might actually get back his ex-best friend. And no matter what Mark keeps telling himself, in the dead of night and all alone, he does miss him.
"I'm sorry, too. Not about Facebook. But Sean. Mostly Sean."
And Eduardo nods and there's this understanding between them that perhaps things can be all right again, after all. It's all too easy, all too quick and it shouldn't be that way, but Mark wants this.
Eduardo extends his hand and Mark takes it and God, he really missed Eduardo.
"Wardo." He tries smiling himself and it actually works for once. His lips curl into a brilliant smile that he finds mirrored on Eduardo's face. "I'm glad I came to Singapore, after all."
He wants this to be the real thing, the real forgiveness, the real cartharsis. Mark wants this and that may or may not be the reason why the sirens in his head finally stop blaring altogether and make him open and vulnerable to Eduardo. And it wouldn't really matter - if Eduardo's intentions were good.
***
Eduardo knows Mark is a virgin as soon as he starts fucking him. His eyes are wide and for once in his life he actually looks a little scared and it feels good. It almost makes Eduardo want to hurt him, but he doesn't. He's a gentle, generous lover, even with Mark and when Facebook's CEO lies in his arms, curled against him... well, it almost feels like things could be all right between them.
Only that they can't be.
Eduardo isn't even sure just how all of this happened, it certainly wasn't part of his plan. Still, it might work. If an old Commodore and some bubble tea buys him sex, what might love (even if it's only a game) give him?
He wraps an arm around Mark's waist; a protective gesture really, but how can you protect someone when you are the predator?
Author: Me
Rating: R (NC-17 in later chapters)
Pairing: Eduardo/Mark
Summary: When Eduardo and Mark meet again, they fall in love. But Eduardo hasn't forgotten Mark's betrayal and all he can think of is revenge. Will they have a happy ending or will history repeat itself?
A/N: The first chapter is a lengthy prologue really. The real fun will start soon enough.
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with the makers of 'The Social Network' or the real Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin. I am making no money with this, whatsoever, and even if I could, I wouldn't.
Mark wonders why he's doing this. Holding a small china cup of cold tea, he glares at anyone who comes into the general area of his corner. The business men in their fine suits and shiny shoes avoid him like the plague anyway and he leaves it up to his entourage to handle things.
It's not like he needs China. If they want to go on blocking Facebook, well, it's their loss really. Those who are smart enough to download programs to circumvent the Great Firewall of China and enjoy all the sites Mao's heirs have declared illegal, have access and there wasn't much he could do for the others really.
But he has to be here, in Singapore, and suck up to Chinese programmers and business men who don't know half as much as he does and who basically bore him to tears.
The idea was to invite them to neutral grounds and since most Asians feel out of their waters in the US, Mark came to them.
It bothers him for a number of reasons. The weather in Singapore really isn't agreeing with him, burning his skin outside and forcing him to wear socks inside because the aircon has to be on full blast at all times.
And there's the Eduardo issue, of course. Considering the fact that he hates Mark's guts, it makes him look like a hypocrite to be investing in Facebook games. And he's here, somewhere. Not in the room, but in the city and while it's a very big city, it still doesn't seem big enough to hold both of them.
"Mark. Hey, Mark?" Arielle is standing right next to him, long blonde hair curled over one shoulder. Mark notices the way the Asian men stare at her and he's glad she's here.
"What is it?" he asks, trying to hand her the china cup he no longer wants to hold.
Arielle easily moves out of the way and Mark can't help but wonder if such an elegant creature could really be related to him by blood. "Look," she finally begins, sounding very uncomfortable. "You know how nobody knew you were coming along?"
He nods, shrugging at her. His coming along was a spontaneous decision, more or less. He isn't sure why he wanted to come when Arielle and his PR girls are handling things so gracefully.
"Mark, are you even listening? Eduardo's over there."
He doesn't want it to, but his head moves in the direction Arielle's pointing and he sees Eduardo and he knows Eduardo's seen him. There's no point in looking away and, really, why should he? This is his party and if Eduardo is still here, it must mean he has something to gain from it.
"Mark?"
"I'm fine."
"I doubt that-"
Arielle has her hand on his arm, trying to stop him. She mutters something about how Randi would not allow him to do this, but he ignores her and walks towards Eduardo. His hands, hidden in his hoodie pocket, are cold and dry.
"Hi."
It's not that this encounter couldn't have been avoided, it's more that Mark wants it to happen. He looks up at Eduardo and right now the height difference bothers him a little bit because he has to look up to look Eduardo in the eyes. And he isn't sure what Eduardo's expression means.
"Hello, Mark." Eduardo is dressed like everyone else here (except for Mark); expensive suit, pretty shoes, expertly tied tie. "How are you doing?" It's something that people ask around here all the time and it doesn't mean they actually want a reply, it's something you say to be polite.
"Fine. You?"
"Great."
"I'm bored."
"So you came to me? How... flattering." Mark isn't sure he likes where this is going, but he can't just move away now and end the conversation because people would definitely notice and he doesn't need that sort of crap. Wall Street reporters do not exactly lead a very exciting life (or so he thinks) and this would probably be the sort of thing that would have them drooling.
"You're not boring," Mark offers, feeling incredibly young and -yes, he didn't think he'd ever think it either- stupid as he looks up at Eduardo.
To his surprise, Eduardo smiles at him. It's not the full 10,000 Watt treatment he used to get during their Harvard days, but it isn't so bad. "I know I'm a pretty cool dude."
Eduardo is polite and almost friendly, but Mark has learned about the way people do business over his years as CEO of a big company and Eduardo's behaviour may mean any number of things. Perhaps he wants something from Mark and perhaps he's thinking the same thing Mark is; that Wall Street reporters are poor people who want something fun to write about, too, and that they shouldn't give them that.
"Do you want to get out of here?" Eduardo asks and it is that sentence, an arrangement of eight innocent little words, that makes sirens shriek in Mark's brain and he wants to say no, but he doesn't.
"Sure."
Arielle is watching them leave and she makes a 'what the fuck'-face at him, but he can't explain. He doesn't know. For once in his life, Mark Zuckerberg doesn't have all the answers.
***
"Where are we going?" Mark asks. The weather is killing him in his hoodie and he just wants to go back inside again.
"I know a cafe you might enjoy, Mark. Don't worry, I won't kidnap and kill you if that's what you're scared of."
"I'm not scared of that." He rolls his eyes and Eduardo laughs.
They're standing in front of the hotel where the business meeting took place. It's a posh place and they could've asked the personnel to get them a taxi, but apparently Eduardo wants to show off and use his intercultural skills to hail a cab and tell the driver where to go.
Mark still can't quite believe this is really happening, even as he sits in the back of the cab with Eduardo right beside him. It's quite bizarre, actually.
"You probably should've stayed. The founders of Baidu are fans of yours. They might have the means to help you with China."
"I don't care about their Google clone," Mark replies, avoiding eye contact.
"You don't get Asia, do you, Mark? It's all about connections; being connected to the right people means you can get what you need when the regular channels fail," Eduardo explains. "The Chinese word for this is guanxi."
"I know. I don't care." He glares out of the window at the mass of people loitering in front of eateries and stores, always standing in crowds without anyone going solo. It was weird.
"Just saying."
They're silent for the rest of the ride to the tiny, shabby cafe that's decorated with ancient Commodores and other computer antiquities. Some of them even work still and Mark smiles. He actually smiles because, yes, this is indeed perfect and so much more interesting than shaking hands and listening to the same boring, old tale over and over.
"So, am I going to lose you to Bill Gates' wet dream or are we having bubble tea?"
They're having bubble tea (black with milk for Mark and green for Eduardo) and they... they talk. It's weird to be talking to someone who sued him over something Mark still doesn't quite get or doesn't want to get.
Mark forces the sirens in his brain to shut the fuck up and let him enjoy this because he is enjoying it. Talking to Eduardo has always helped him focus, collect himself and he missed talking to him. The cafe is so tiny that they're the only customers and it's dirty and the bubble tea is a little too cold, but Eduardo's smiling at him and Mark feels something inside of him that hasn't been there since Erica left him. The will to make someone like him.
"And you're helping with Facebook games now?" he asks, once he's told Eduardo everything about his trip so far.
"I invest, yeah. They let me help with the coding sometimes, but I'm not very good at that yet." Eduardo grins at him. "It's more about the investing really."
"And how has that worked out for you?" Mark would rather talk about the coding, maybe even offer his help, but that would be taking things too far.
"We have a pretty cool new game going. It's for girls mostly. You get to, uh, grow your own boyfriend and buy clothes for him. You know, Farmville with guys."
Mark raises and eyebrow, mildly surprised. Why would anyone want a dating game when Facebook could get them a real date? But whatever. If people wanted it, they could have it for all he cared.
"I'm happy for you." He is surprised that he actually means it. Eduardo seems excited about the entire affair and if helping code dating games is what works for Eduardo, then that's good enough for Mark. Mark leans forward to wrap his lips around his drinking straw, but he never gets to drink although his throat goes dry with Eduardo's next words.
"I'm sorry, Mark." Marks stares at his former best friend, wondering if he heard this right. Probably not. "I know I blamed you for a lot of things that weren't technically your fault, like my shitty relationship with my father or the fact that Sean Parker's an asshole, but the truth is, it wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have frozen the account. I'm sorry."
The sirens inside Mark's head keep blaring, but he ignores them. He wants to ignore them because Eduardo is apologising and that means he might actually get back his ex-best friend. And no matter what Mark keeps telling himself, in the dead of night and all alone, he does miss him.
"I'm sorry, too. Not about Facebook. But Sean. Mostly Sean."
And Eduardo nods and there's this understanding between them that perhaps things can be all right again, after all. It's all too easy, all too quick and it shouldn't be that way, but Mark wants this.
Eduardo extends his hand and Mark takes it and God, he really missed Eduardo.
"Wardo." He tries smiling himself and it actually works for once. His lips curl into a brilliant smile that he finds mirrored on Eduardo's face. "I'm glad I came to Singapore, after all."
He wants this to be the real thing, the real forgiveness, the real cartharsis. Mark wants this and that may or may not be the reason why the sirens in his head finally stop blaring altogether and make him open and vulnerable to Eduardo. And it wouldn't really matter - if Eduardo's intentions were good.
***
Eduardo knows Mark is a virgin as soon as he starts fucking him. His eyes are wide and for once in his life he actually looks a little scared and it feels good. It almost makes Eduardo want to hurt him, but he doesn't. He's a gentle, generous lover, even with Mark and when Facebook's CEO lies in his arms, curled against him... well, it almost feels like things could be all right between them.
Only that they can't be.
Eduardo isn't even sure just how all of this happened, it certainly wasn't part of his plan. Still, it might work. If an old Commodore and some bubble tea buys him sex, what might love (even if it's only a game) give him?
He wraps an arm around Mark's waist; a protective gesture really, but how can you protect someone when you are the predator?